Plastic harmonica



Sept. 10, 1946. F. H. MAGNUS PLASTIC HARMONICA Filed Feb. 20, 19433nventor (Ittomeg Patented Sept. 10, 1946 2,407,312 PLASTIC mmomea Finnn. Magnus, West Caldwell, N. J., asslgnor to International PlasticHarmonica Corporation, Newark, N. J a corporation of New JerseyApplication February 20, 1943, Serial No. 476,517 Claims. (01.84-377)This invention relates in general to harmonicas, particularly harmonicasin which the reeds or reed plate, or both the reeds and reed plate areformed of a plastic composition. as described in my copendingapplication Serial No. 467,679. filed December 3, 1942.

In the manufacture of harmonicas having the reeds formed of metal. suchas brass, considerable diillculty has been encountered in tuning tllereeds. The riveting of the reeds upon the reed plate often changes thetone of the reed.

Furthermore. variations in the compositions of the alloys. and heattreatment and rolling of the metals during manufacture, affect the tonalqualities of the metals. Therefore, hand tuning, as by grinding, ofpractically all of the reeds in each instrument is necessary. which is aslow and tedious operation.

With my invention as disclosed in my aforesaid application and as willbe hereinafter described, the reeds are formed of a plastic compositionwhich is molded so that the reeds can be produced initially in tune andthe reeds can be molded integrally with the reed plates or securedthereto adhesively. Riveting or similar fastening operations thereby areeliminated and the necessity for hand tuning is obviated.

A prime object of the present invention is to provide a novel andimproved construction and combination of reeds and a reed plate tofacilitate integral molding of a plurality of reeds and to expediteassembly of'said reeds with the reed plate, whereby the reeds can bemolded in tune and all of the reeds can be mounted in proper relation tothe reed plate in one and the same operation and without the necessityfor riveting or similar fastening operations.

Another object is to provide a novel and improved structure such that aplurality of reeds of difierent tones can be integrally formed in properrelation to each other and handled as a unitary reed board or reedstick, whereby in-.

dividual handling and fastening of the reeds on a reed plate shall beobviated.

A further object is to provide a novel and improved reed plate tocooperate with said reed board or reed stick and having a slot for eachreed, so that said reeds can be mounted in their respective slots in oneand the same operation by simply arranging said reed stick and said reedplate in a certain relation to each other.

Anothe object is to provide a novel and improved construction andcombination of areed stick, a reed plate and a wind cell block to facilitate mounting and holding said reeds and their corresponding slots inthe plate in proper relation to the respective wind cells.

Further objects are to Provide a, novel and improved reed slot valveunit which shall permit a plurality of valve flaps to be handled as aunit to facilitate application thereof to a harmonica; and to providesuch a unit which shal1 be moisture-resistant and non-corrosive andwherein the reed-damping flaps shall be highly flexible and resilient.

Other objects, advantages and results of the invention will be broughtout by the following description in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawing in which Figure 1 is a front perspective view of a harmonicaembodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a rear perspective view thereof.

Figure 3 is an enlarged transverse vertical sectional view on the line33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a composite perspective view of the reed board or reed stickand the reed plate.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the wind cell block.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the wind cell block and the reed stickand reed plate in assembled relation, and

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the reed damping unit.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention I have shown it in aharmonica which includes a body or casing comprising a wind cell block Aand two cover or sound chamber sections B and C which are mounted onopposite sides of the wind cell block.

Important features of the invention are the reed stick or reed board D,the reed plate E and their combination with each other and with th windcell block A.

The reed stick D comprises an elongate fiat body I which has a pluralityof reeds 2 projecting from one edge thereof in spaced, parallel andside-byside relation to each other. As shown, the body I and the reeds 2are formed integrally and in accordance with the preferred embodiment ofthe invention are composed of a plastic composition such asPolystyrene." As shown, the body I has a plurality of lugs 3 projectingfrom one edge thereof from each of which projects one of the reeds 2, sothat each lug in effect forms a base for the corresponding reed.

The invention particularly contemplates the molding of the reed stick Dfrom a moldable plastic composition such as Polystyrene, and the moldingof the reeds2 in tune, so that the reeds may be handled simultaneouslyas a unit and 3 assembled with the reed plate without riveting or otherfastening operations and without the necessity for individual tuning ofthe reeds. It will be understood that the reeds will be of sizes andshapes to produce the desired musical tones, as usual. Where the reedsare formed of Poly- 4 against warping, without the necessity forseparate fastener elements.

As shown in Figure 3, it is desirable that the draw reeds, which areshown at the upper porstyrene'. or the' like they will vary in thicknessfrom .022 inch to .026 inch at their juncture with 'the lugs 3, and willdecrease in'thickness from their bases to their free ends so that thethicknesses at the ends of the reeds will be from .010 to .016 inch.

The reed plate E has a plurality o1 reed slots 4, one for each reed, andhas a notch 5 in one edge thereof in alinement with each slot to receiveone of the lugs 3 of the reed stick. In assembling the reed stick andthe reed plate they are arranged in edge-to-edge relation with the lugs3 in the corresponding notches 5 and with one of the reeds 2 in eachslot 4. Preferably the reed plate has a cut away portion 6 between thebase of each notch 5 and the end of the corresponding reed slot 4, inwhich the corresponding reed 2 is seated. With the parts thus assembledthe reed stick D and the reed plate E are disposed in substantially acommon plane as shown in Figure 3, and. the reeds are free to vibrate intheir respective slots upon passage of air currents through the latter.

In accordance with the form of the invention illustrated there is a reedstick and a corresponding reed plate at each of opposite sides of thewind cell block A, and as shown, the wind cell block has a recess I ateach side thereof in which the corresponding reed stick and reed plateare seated as shown in Figure 6. The reed stick D and reed plate E atone side of the wind cell block are arranged so that the reeds thereofshall serve as blow or exhale reeds, while the reed stick and reed plateat the other side of the block are so disposed that the reeds will serveas inhale or draw reeds.

One blow reed and one exhale reed are arranged one above the other so asto constitute a pair, and the wind cell block A has a plurality of slots8, one for each pair of reeds. LAS shown, these slots open through bothsides of the wind cell block and through one edge thereof which servesas a mouth-piece for the instrument.

The two casing sections B and C are shown as substantially identical inconstruction and are secured at opposite sides of the wind cell block Ain any suitable manner as by screws 9. One edge of each casing sectiontightly fits against the corresponding side of the wind cell block atthe edge thereof through which open the wind cells 8 and said edges aresmooth and rounded as in" clicated at In so as to form smooth andcomfortable surfaces for the lips of the player and to cooperate withthe edge of the wind cell block to form a mouth-piece. Each casingsection B and C has a sound chamber 1 l in communication with the reedslots 4 of the respective reed plate, said sound chambers opening at therear of the instrument as indicated at I2. Preferably each casingsection B and C has portions l3 overlying the ends of the correspondingreed plate, a, portion I overlying the forward edge of the reed plateand one or more lugs or ribs l5 intermediate the length of thecorresponding sound chamber to overlie the rear edge 01' thecorresponding reed plate.

With this construction the reed plates and reed sticks are firmly heldin proper position and tion of said figure be located nearer themouthpiece than the "blow reedsso that the velocity of air passingaround the draw" reeds shall be substantially the same as the velocityof air current passing around the "blow" reeds, thereby to ensureapproximately the same volume 0! tone from the draw'! reeds and "blowreeds.

Another feature oi the invention is a slot-valve unit which is shown ascomprising an elongate body It of suitable flexible material, preferablyoi plastic composition such as Polystyrene," from one edge of whichintegrally projects a plurality of valve flaps i'l one for each reed.when the unit is formed or a plastic composition such as Polystyrene itis moisture resistant and noncorrosive and the damping flaps I! arehighly resilient and flexible. It is possible to form these flaps of athickness of about .010 inch so that they will be readily sensitive toair currents flowing through the slots in the proper direction. Asusual, the valve flaps II will be applied over the blow" reed slots atthe side of the reed plate opposite the mouth-piece while the valv flapsfor the "draw" reed slots will be applied thereover at the side of thereed plate nearer the mouth-piece as shown in Figure 3. With the unitembodying the invention, all of the flaps may be handled at the sametime and may be secured to the corresponding reed stick I by adhesivelyor otherwise attaching the body It to the reed stick.

It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the reed sticks,reed plates, wind cell blocks and valve units, may be die out instead ofmolded. However, when the reeds are die-cut from sheets, it will benecessary to individually tune them as by shaving or grinding them.

Many othermodificatlons and changes in the details of structure of theharmonica and the method of making and assembling the parts will occurto those skilled in the art as within the spirit and scope of theinvention.

What I claim is:

1. For a harmonica, the combination of an elongate fiat body of plasticmaterial having a plurality of lugs projecting integrally from one edgethereof in spaced relation to each other and each having a reedprojecting integrally therefrom, and a reed plate having a plurality ofreed slots and also having notches in one edge each in alinement withone slot, one of said lugs being seated in each said notch, and thecorresponding reed being disposed in the slot that is alined with saidlug.

2. For a harmonica, the combination of an elongate flat body of plasticmaterial having a plurality of lugs projecting integrally from one edgethereof in spaced relation to each other and each having a reedprojecting integrally therefrom. and a reed plate having a plurality ofreed slots and also having notches in one edge and grooves leading fromsaid slots to said notches, each notch and corresponding groove being inalinement with one slot, one of said lugs being seated in each saidnotch, and the corresponding reed being disposed in the groove and theslot that are alined with the lug.

3. In a harmonica, a casing including a wind cell block having aplurality of wind cells opening through one edge and at least one sidethereof, a reed plate mounted on said side of said wind-cell block andhaving a reed slot for each 5 cell, a reed unit comprising a flatelongate body mounted on said side of the bell block and having aplurality of reeds projecting from one edge thereof, said body beingarranged in edge to edge relation to said reed plate with one of saidreeds disposed in each said reed slot, said cell block having a recessin said side thereof in which said reed plate and said reed unit areseated, and a casing section secured to said cell block above said reedplate and reeds and having a sound chamber.

4. For a harmonica, an elongate flat body of 6 plastic material having aplurality of molded tuned reeds of varying thickness which were moldedin tune projecting integrally from one edge'thereof in spaced relation.to each otherlongitudinally of said body in the order of their tones.

5. For a harmonica, a molded elongate flat body of plastic materialhaving a plurality of molded tuned reeds which were molded in tune 10projecting integrally therefrom in spaced relation to each other.

FINN H. MAGNUS.

